The string itself disturbs very little air since its small surface area makes very little contact with surrounding air molecules.

In this sense, a sound wave (like any wave) is a phenomenon which transports energy from one location to another without transporting matter.ДЄ guitar string vibrating by itself does not produce a very loud sound. The molecules of air are only temporarily disturbed from their rest position they always return to their original position. There is no net displacement of the air molecules.

A careful inspection of the particles of the medium (represented by lines) in the animation above reveal that the particles of the medium are displaced rightward and then move back leftward to their original position. In the animation above, the energy is shown traveling outward from the guitar string - from left to right. In a longitudinal wave, particles of the medium vibrate back and forth in a direction which is parallel (and anti-parallel) to the direction of energy transport. The animation above depicts a sound wave as a longitudinal wave. But in mediums which are fluid (e.g., gases and liquids), sound waves can only be longitudinal. In solids, sound can exist as either a longitudinal or a transverse wave. This alternating pattern of compressions and rarefactions is known as a sound wave. The rarefactions are regions of low pressure, where the air molecules are spread apart. The compressions are regions of high pressure, where the air molecules are compressed into a small region of space. This pressure wave consists of compressions and rarefactions. The back and forth vibrations of the surrounding air molecules creates a pressure wave which travels outward from its source. The frequency at which these air molecules vibrate is equal to the frequency of vibration of the guitar string. As a guitar string vibrates, it sets surrounding air molecules into vibrational motion.

Multimedia Studios В» Waves, Sound and Light В» Guitar Strings and Longitudinal WavesДЄ sound wave is produced by a vibrating object.

Sound wave vector bars